For Release: Tuesday, August 25, 2015
SOUTHEAST INFORMATION OFFICE: Atlanta, Ga.
Technical information: (404) 893-4222 [email protected]
Media contact:
(404) 893-4220
15-1652-ATL
www.bls.gov/regions/southeast
Occupational Employment and Wages for Selected Mechanical Occupations in
Georgia’s Metropolitan Areas – May 2014
Among the 15 metropolitan areas in Georgia, 12 had annual wages that were significantly below the
national average for automotive service technicians and mechanics. Eleven areas had below-average wages
for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers; and eight had below-average wages
for industrial machinery mechanics, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional
Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that four metropolitan areas had average wages significantly below the
U.S. average for all three of the selected occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for automotive
service technicians and mechanics was $39,980; for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics
and installers, $46,880; and for industrial machinery mechanics, $50,440. (See table A. For comprehensive
definitions of metropolitan areas in Georgia, please see Technical Note.)
Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected mechanical occupations in the United States, Georgia,
and metropolitan areas in Georgia, May 2014
Area
United States........................................................................................................................................
Georgia..............................................................................................................................................
Albany ...........................................................................................................................................
Athens-Clarke County ...................................................................................................................
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta ....................................................................................................
Augusta-Richmond County ...........................................................................................................
Brunswick ......................................................................................................................................
Chattanooga..................................................................................................................................
Columbus ......................................................................................................................................
Dalton ............................................................................................................................................
Gainesville.....................................................................................................................................
Hinesville-Fort Stewart ..................................................................................................................
Macon............................................................................................................................................
Rome .............................................................................................................................................
Savannah ......................................................................................................................................
Valdosta.........................................................................................................................................
Warner Robins...............................................................................................................................
Automotive
Service
Technicians
and
Mechanics
$39,980
37,790*
34,380*
35,970*
40,470
37,310*
39,110
36,280*
34,720*
27,270*
32,900*
33,100*
34,920*
31,990*
43,710*
34,650*
34,110*
Heating, Air
Conditioning,
and
Refrigeration
Mechanics
and Installers
$46,880
43,020*
37,770*
32,950*
46,420
45,170
35,630*
39,370*
36,520*
33,170*
47,100
38,860*
40,380
36,310*
41,960*
40,690*
37,440*
Industrial
Machinery
Mechanics
$50,440
44,650*
39,450*
42,810*
45,890*
49,320
43,560*
55,470*
51,070
37,820*
39,240*
(1)
43,750*
50,430
55,390*
39,460*
50,360
Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent
confidence level.
Of the 15 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in the state, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta
area had the largest employment in the three selected mechanical occupations at 22,150. In each of the
remaining metropolitan areas in Georgia, the combined employment in these three occupations was less
than 3,000. (See table B.)
Table B. Employment of selected mechanical occupations in the United States, Georgia, and metropolitan
areas in Georgia, May 2014
Automotive
Service
Technicians
and
Mechanics
Area
United States........................................................................................................................................
Georgia..............................................................................................................................................
Albany ...........................................................................................................................................
Athens-Clarke County ...................................................................................................................
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta ....................................................................................................
Augusta-Richmond County ...........................................................................................................
Brunswick ......................................................................................................................................
Chattanooga..................................................................................................................................
Columbus ......................................................................................................................................
Dalton ............................................................................................................................................
Gainesville.....................................................................................................................................
Hinesville-Fort Stewart ..................................................................................................................
Macon............................................................................................................................................
Rome .............................................................................................................................................
Savannah ......................................................................................................................................
Valdosta.........................................................................................................................................
Warner Robins...............................................................................................................................
633,390
22,010
400
350
13,090
1,040
210
1,090
800
570
280
90
400
250
980
300
350
Heating, Air
Conditioning,
and
Refrigeration
Mechanics
and Installers
261,390
8,270
160
(1)
5,020
280
70
630
400
40
110
70
150
60
330
160
90
Industrial
Machinery
Mechanics
313,880
10,230
320
110
4,040
730
80
980
450
830
330
(1)
220
160
630
70
140
Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.
Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent
confidence level.
Wages for automotive service technicians and mechanics in metropolitan areas in Georgia
Automotive service technicians and mechanics in the Savannah metropolitan area earned $43,710 per year,
measurably above the U.S. average of $39,980. Wages were significantly below the national average for this
occupation in 12 of the 15 areas in Georgia with Dalton ($27,270), Rome ($31,990), and Gainesville
($32,900) among the lower-paying areas. Two areas had wages that were not measurably different from the
national average.
Wages for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers in metropolitan areas
in Georgia
Eleven metropolitan areas had wages significantly below the U.S. average of $46,880 for heating, air
conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers. The lowest paying areas included Athens-Clarke
County ($32,950), Dalton ($33,170), and Brunswick ($35,630). Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration
mechanics and installers in four areas had wages that were not measurably different from the national
average for this occupation.
2
Wages for industrial machinery mechanics in metropolitan areas in Georgia
Two metropolitan areas had average wages for industrial machinery mechanics that were significantly
higher than the $50,440 national average: Chattanooga ($55,470), and Savannah ($55,390). Eight localities
had wages for industrial machinery mechanics that were measurably below the national average, including
Dalton ($37,820), Gainesville ($39,240), and Albany ($39,450). Industrial machinery mechanics in four
areas in Georgia earned wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average.
These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative
program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Georgia Department of Labor.
Box Note
A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has
economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make
confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference
between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the
size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.
Technical Note
The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational
employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States.
Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are also surveyed, but their data are not included in the national
estimates. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are
mailed to approximately 200,000 sampled establishments in May and November each year. May 2014
estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2014,
November 2013, May 2013, November 2012, May 2012, and November 2011. The overall national
response rate for the six panels is 74.3 percent based on establishments and 70.5 percent based on weighted
sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual
panels represents approximately 57.1 percent of total national employment. (Response rates are slightly
lower for these estimates due to the federal shutdown in October 2013.) For more information about OES
concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.
The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary
workers in 22 major occupational groups and 821 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan
statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas. In addition, employment and wage
estimates for 94 minor groups and 458 broad occupations are available in the national data. OES data by
state and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan area are available from www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm and
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm, respectively.
The May 2014 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system
and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is
available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at
www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.
Metropolitan area definitions
3
The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S.
Office of Management and Budget.
• Albany, Ga. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Baker, Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, and
Worth Counties in Georgia.
• Athens-Clarke County, Ga. MSA includes Clarke, Madison, Oconee, and Oglethorpe Counties in
Georgia.
• Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga. MSA includes Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee,
Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson,
Heard, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, and
Walton Counties in Georgia.
• Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.-S.C. MSA includes Aiken and Edgefield Counties in South
Carolina, and Burke, Columbia, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties in Georgia.
• Brunswick, Ga. MSA includes Brantley, Glynn, and McIntosh Counties in Georgia.
• Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga. MSA includes Catoosa, Dade, and Walker Counties in Georgia, and
Hamilton, Marion, and Sequatchie Counties in Tennessee.
• Columbus, Ga.-Ala. MSA includes Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, and Muscogee Counties in
Georgia, and Russell County in Alabama.
• Dalton, Ga. MSA includes Murray and Whitfield Counties in Georgia.
• Gainesville, Ga. MSA includes Hall County in Georgia.
• Hinesville-Fort Stewart, Ga. MSA includes Liberty and Long Counties in Georgia.
• Macon, Ga. MSA includes Bibb, Crawford, Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs Counties in Georgia.
• Rome, Ga. MSA includes Floyd County in Georgia.
• Savannah, Ga. MSA includes Bryan, Chatham, and Effingham Counties in Georgia.
• Valdosta, Ga. MSA includes Brooks, Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes Counties in Georgia.
• Warner Robins, Ga. MSA includes Houston County in Georgia.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: 202-691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 800-877-8339.
4